The wait is finally over for the Memphis Grizzlies. Well, it’s almost over. On Friday, Grizzlies General Manager Zach Kleiman updated Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s status.
Jackson Jr. injured his meniscus in an NBA Bubble game last season. Rather than have his meniscus removed, he had surgery to have it repaired, leading to a longer recovery period. The reasoning behind this is that removing the meniscus can have negative long-term implications while repairing it will pay off in the long run.
Past updates have been extremely vague but this time, we have a better picture of when Jackson Jr. will return to the court. In Kleiman’s update, he stated that JJJ would be slated to return by the end of April.
This is an encouraging sign for a team that has been stuck at .500 without him.
That said, the end of April is a long way away. The Grizzlies have a tough schedule ahead of them and by the end of April, this team will only have a dozen or fewer games ahead of them.
Will the Memphis Grizzlies make the playoffs?
Without Jackson Jr. in the lineup, this team has been decent. As mentioned, they’ve managed to stay in the playoff conversation with a .500 record. As of Kleiman’s update, this team is in the 9th position in the Western Conference.
Originally, Jackson Jr. was expected to return after the NBA All-Star break, which technically holds true. Having said that, most fans were expected to see him back on the court a few weeks ago. Instead, the Grizzlies will have to play nearly the entire season without him.
If Kleiman’s projection is accurate, this Memphis team will have JJJ back for a small sliver of the regular season. Hopefully, this team will have put themselves in a good spot for the playoffs, but it may be an uphill battle upon his return.
The worry here is that JJJ will not have time to get back into a groove. Team chemistry issues could arise for a Grizzlies squad that has been playing small-ball for the entire season.
Regardless, having a return date for Jaren Jackson Jr. is a huge motivator for this Grizzlies team. Look for them to continue this season with a chip on their shoulders.